Violence Against Women - WHO definition

As campaigning continues to raise awareness of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, we take a look at what the UN says about Violence Against Women...

Here are some key facts, taken from the WHO website:

• Violence against women is a major public health problem and a violation of human rights


• Lack of access to education and opportunity, and low social status in communities are linked to violence against women


• Violence by an intimate partner is one of the most common forms of violence against women


• A wide range of physical, mental, sexual and reproductive and maternal health problems can result from violence against women


• Many women do not seek help or report violence when it occurs

The United Nations defines violence against women as any kind of gender-based violence whether occuring in public or in private life.

The social and economic costs of violence against women are far reaching and have a ripple affect through communities and societies. These women and girls are often very isolated, are often unable to work or go to school and are excluded from participating in civil society. Often their ability to care for themselves and any dependents is limited.

The WHO have found that although more research is needed, increasing education opportunities, improving self esteem and negotiating skills and reducing gender inequities in communities do have promising results.

You can learn much more about the UN's position by clicking HERE.

For a summary of Soroptimist International's position on Violence Against Women please click HERE

There is so much clubs can do to campaign and raise awareness on this important issue. If your club is holding an event or getting involved in the 16 days of activism in other ways, please let us know! You can email hq@soroptimistinternational.org or post a comment.

Today is the Global Day of Action Against Militarism and Violence Against Women

November 29^th is International Women Human Rights Defenders Day - a day set aside to recognize women human rights defenders and commemorate activism, advocacy and courageous acts of resistance. In 2004, an international campaign Defending Women Defending Rights was launched for the recognition and protection of women human rights defenders who are activists advocating for the realization of all human rights for all people. The campaign asserts that women fighting for human rights and all activists defending women’s rights face specific violations as a result of their advocacy or their gender. For more information, check the women human rights defender campaign website: http://www.defendingwomen-defendingrights.org/.

Say no: UNiTE to end violence against women, as part of the international 16 Days Campaign Global Day of Action, is asking groups to organize public vigils, nonviolent demonstrations of one or more people in a public location, or peaceful marches on Monday, November 29^th – International Women Human Rights Defenders Day. No specific form for the vigil is required, and individual groups should create an action that best fits local campaign initiatives. To unify the actions, the campaign simply asks that you reflect the commitments articulated in the Global Call to Action:

1. Challenge militarism and end violence against women

2. Strengthen women’s leadership to promote peace

3. Realize human rights for all to achieve genuine security

Please click HERE for more information!

16 Days of Activism - Center for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL)

(from the Center for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL): http://16dayscwgl.rutgers.edu/2010-campaign/theme-announcement )

Structures of Violence: Defining the Intersections of Militarism and Violence Against Women

This year marks the 20th 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign, and with this important landmark, the Center for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL) is considering new ways to utilize the campaign for transformative change. Year after year, new partners join the 16 Days Campaign to bring local, national, and global attention to the various forms of violence that women face. The attention that gender-based violence has received in international forums is a testimony to the powerful actions of women’s rights activists around the world. Yet, despite this increased awareness, women continue to experience violations in alarming numbers and new forms of violence are emerging. We, as defenders of women’s human rights, have a responsibility to look more closely at the structures in place that permit gender-based violence to exist and persist. After much consultation with activists, organizations, and experts from around the world, militarism has emerged as one of the key structures that perpetuates violence.

While there are many different ways to define militarism, our working definition outlines militarism as an ideology that creates a culture of fear and supports the use of violence, aggression, or military interventions for settling disputes and enforcing economic and political interests. It is a psychology that often has grave consequences for the true safety and security of women and of society as a whole. Militarism is a distinctive way of looking at the world; it influences how we see our neighbors, our families, our public life, and other people in the world. To embrace militarism is to presume that everyone has enemies and that violence is an effective way to solve problems. To leave militaristic ways of thinking unchallenged is to leave certain forms of masculinity privileged, to leave global hierarchies of power firmly in place, to grant impunity to wartime perpetrators of violence against women. To roll back militarism is to inspire more expansive ideas about genuine security, to bring more women into public life, to create a world built not on the competitive sale of weapons, but on authentic relations of trust and cooperation.

There is a need to address militaristic beliefs in all of our societies. Militarism has material and institutional, as well as cultural and psychological consequences that are more difficult to measure. Wars, internal conflicts, and violent repressions of political and social justice movements – all of which are a result of a culture of militarism – have a particular and often disproportionate impact on women. Rape is used as a tactic of war to drive fear and to humiliate women and their communities. But sexual violence is just one form of violence that women and girls suffer throughout the continuum of violence before, during and after conflict has ostensibly ended. Militarism neither ends nor begins in warzones, nor does it confine itself to the public sphere. The families of militarized men and women may experience violence in their homes where ‘war crimes’ and armed domestic violence are hidden from public view, and women who serve in the military are just as easily victims of sexual assault by their fellow soldiers. Even places that are not experiencing conflict directly are not exempt from militarism: they send troops, produce and sell weapons, and invest in the militaries of foreign governments rather than supporting development efforts. These governments have skewed priorities, spending huge percentages of their budgets on the military and arms rather than on social services, such as education, health care, job security, and development that would yield real security for women. For these reasons, the international theme for the 2010 16 Days Campaign will be:

Structures of Violence: Defining the Intersections of Militarism and Violence Against Women

CWGL envisions that a theme on the intersections of militarism and violence against women will be a multi-year project. We look forward to launching the campaign in 2010 and using it as an opportunity to collect information from you about your individual and collective experiences of militarism, which will help us to develop a more robust strategy for future campaigns. Please join CWGL as we work to support a coordinated, global, feminist critique of militarism and the violence it perpetuates.

We appreciate that this campaign theme will not be an easy issue to address, and many activists could experience a backlash against their work. CWGL encourages activists to carefully consider their own safety when working on the campaign. For those activists who are relatively new to the campaign, those who feel that their energy is better directed towards general sensitization efforts around gender-based violence and human rights, or those who cannot openly work on militarism, CWGL will continue to provide general resources and information.

What are some examples of issues the campaign can address? A discussion of “genuine security” and gender justice Economic consequences of war on women Women’s role in peace negotiations, peace-building, diplomacy and decision-making positions Proliferation of small arms and the role of arms in domestic violence Reparations, healing and reconciliation Global production and sale of arms Domestic violence committed by members of the military Sexual violence and sexual slavery in conflict situations Abuse of sexual and reproductive rights in conflict situations Sexual violence within the military Impunity for military personnel in cases of violence against women Women and girl’s vulnerability as refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) Women and girl combatants Violations committed by peace-keeping forces Violence and abuse of women living and working around military bases Governments’ use of force against civilians, suppression of pro-democracy movements Suspension of rule of law and basic human rights in an “emergency” The use of ‘anti-terrorism’ laws to silence women human rights defenders Communal violence and riots Linkages between militarism and conservative religious forces Environmental contamination by military operations and its consequences for women and children Military spending by government – cost-analysis compared to social programs Militarized police forces and social institutions (schools, public spaces, etc.) Send us your ideas!

Resources for the 2010 16 Days Campaign CWGL is pleased to announce that the English, Spanish and French translations of the 2010 Take Action Kit materials are now available online. Hard copies of the kit are available as well. If you would like a free copy mailed to you, please complete the Take Action Kit Request Form. Join the 16 Days movement! Create or join a community, campus, national or international activity for the 16 Days! Request campaign materials, join the 16 Days listserv, and use past International Calendars of Activities to spark ideas for your activities or to find information about groups in your area. As November approaches, remember to submit your plans to CWGL for posting to the 2010 International Calendar of Activities to become part of the global 16 Days movement. Find us on Flickr! Pictures from previous 16 Days Campaigns can be viewed on Flickr. Find us on Facebook! Become a fan of the “The Official 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign” Facebook Page. We’ll be posting updates, pictures, video links, and other fun facts about what activists around the world are working on. Don’t forget to share your thoughts and ideas there too! Sign up for the 16 Days e-mail discussion! Join the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence e-mail listserv discussion, which gives activists a space to share work against violence, build partnerships with others worldwide, and develop strategies and themes for the annual 16 Days Campaign. To join the discussion, click here.

The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence is an international campaign originating from the first Women’s Global Leadership Institute sponsored by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL) at Rutgers University in 1991. Participants chose the dates November 25, International Day Against Violence Against Women, and December 10, International Human Rights Day, in order to symbolically link violence against women and human rights and to emphasize that such violence is a human rights violation.

International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

Women began campaigning on this day in 1981, and chose 25^th November to commemorate the brutal assassination of the three Mirabal sisters, political activists in the Dominican Republic, on orders of Dominican ruler Rafael Trujillo (1930-1961) in 1960.  The UN General Assembly passed a resolution in 1993 officially recognising this day and resolving to eliminate violence against women.

To mark the day, activists, governments, international organizations and NGOs organize activities designated to raise public awareness on the issue.  At UNIFEM’s event in New York, highlighting the theme of corporate leadership, Secretary Ban-Ki Moon shared the following:

“There has been real progress. Across the world, people are mobilizing to stop the abuse of women and girls. This is no longer just the concern of women's organizations. More and more people realize that gender-based violence is everybody's problem and that everybody is responsible for stopping it.

This year's observance highlights how business leaders can contribute. Just this morning I met with a number of corporate partners.  CEOs who are creative...Company presidents who are committed...Corporate executives who care about the health and safety of the world's women and girls.

They are finding new ways to address violence against women from the pages of fashion magazines to the interactions between cosmetic salespeople and their clients.  We welcome what these energies and ideas are doing to advance the goals of my UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign.

The problem is complex and widespread. But the solutions are within reach.

There are simple steps we can take: to get counselling to victims, To raise awareness that violence is a crime, To be sure that it is always punished, To free young girls enslaved by traffickers, And to enable all victims of violence to overcome their struggles and realize their potential.

...

Our challenge is to keep advancing after today. To make new plans. To start new projects. To gather our forces. So that we can meet again next year to discuss our successes what we have learned from them and how to ensure they can have global impact, for no country is immune from this problem.

United, we can end violence against women.”

Soroptimists are joining in this challenge every day in every corner of the world.  Since 25^th November, 2009, clubs have reported the following:

• 551 programme focus reports submitted on work relating to violence against women and girls, including human trafficking.
• $495,676 funds raised
• 860,370 beneficiaries -  41,103 women and 45,267 young women and girls
• An average of 46 projects per month, 11 per week, and 1.5 per day!

SI will be raising awareness around different issues, campaigns, and activities related to ending violence against for the next 2 weeks as part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign.  If your club is taking action, we’d love to hear about it!  Please comment here or email hq@soroptimistinternational.org.  

For more information, please visit:

http://16dayscwgl.rutgers.edu/

http://www.saynotoviolence.org/

http://www.unifem.org/

Commonwealth Day 2011: Women as Agents of Change

The theme for Commonwealth Day 2011 is "Women as Agents of Change".

Soroptimist International, accredited to the Commonwealth, attended a meeting of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) at the Commonwealth last week where this exciting theme was announced. The announcement was enthusiastically welcomed by all CSOs present and Margaret Cook, SI International Assistant Programme Director wholeheartedly congratulated the organisers on selecting this theme.

The theme will provide a great opportunity for SI to draw attention to the inspiring work women do in communities and societies in all Commonwealth Nations.

More information is expected to be released at the beginning of December so watch this space for more details about how SI will be getting involved!

Soroptimist International signs joint statement for CSW 55

Soroptimist International has joined with other NGOs to submit a joint statement to be presented at CSW 55 which will be taking place 22 February - 4 March 2011.

The theme of CSW 55 is "Access and participation of women and girls to education, training, science and technology, including the promotion of women's equal access to full employment and decent work".

The statement argues that Governments have not gone far enough in ensuring adequate legal provisions regarding the inclusion of women and girls in education and training for science and technology.

Economic growth, economic recovery and development are driven by scientific and technological innovations and countries cannot afford to neglect the value of women's and girls' talents in these fields. Promoting inclusion in these fields can only be a 'win-win' strategy for national economies.

Important recommendations forwarded by the NGOs include:

• the need for support structures and policies to retain women as well as girls in education and training;
• safe transport to teaching institutions;
• appropriate sanitary facilities for both sexes as well as affordable and safe child and dependent care provisions;
• the importance of counteracting prevailing gender stereotypes through revising curricula and text books and adopting non-discriminatory teaching methods and practices;
• the importance of including women in shaping innovative policy.

The full statement can be found in the members section of the website. Visit:
www.soroptimistinternational.org

Keep checking the Blog for more information about CSW 55 over the coming weeks!

Education For All Still Within Reach!

SI UN Representative, Dominique Mertz, attended the 2010 UNESCO Education For All monitoring and progress meeting.

Dominique writes: "Children all over the world are marginalised and excluded from education. At first glance, the lives of these children may seem poles apart but what they have in common are missed opportunities to develop their potential, realise their hopes and build a better future for themselves and for their communities through education."

A decade has passed since leaders from 164 countries adopted the Education for All goals. Click here to see the six goals in full. While a great deal of progress has been made since the goals were developed, millions of children are still missing out on an education. A disproportionate number are girls.

Set against the global economic downturn, the 2010 report calls for a renewed financial commitment by aid donors and recipient governments alike to meet the Education for All goals by 2015. If more is not done, the goals will not be met and the MDGs on education will be missed.

Governments must do more to reach the most marginalised in society to truly extend education opportunities to all children. The challenge to meet the 'equity' goal has also proved challenging for 'developed countries' so there is a great deal Soroptimists can do to campaign and advocate on this issue. The Philippines and Turkey were highlighted as facing particular challenges given the relative levels of wealth in these countries.

The meeting concluded that the goal to have all children completing a full cycle of primary education is still within reach but there is still a great deal to do.

Dominique's full report, complete with detailed information about all areas of the Education for All goals, can be found in the members section of the SI website.

Second Report from the 63rd WHO South East Asia Regional Meeting

Second Report from Dawn Lynn Bowness, President of SI Bangkok, Thailand.

The recent South East Asian meeting of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Thailand found that although there has been a great deal of progress towards achieving the MDGs, progress in MDG 5, maternal health, has been too slow.

Issues affecting the disappointing progress made under MDG 5 include:

• Inadequate financial allocation at national and sub national levels;
• The health budget does not efficiently target preventative measures;
• Social and cultural barriers which prevent access to maternal and neonatal care persist which deprives women and girls of essential health care;
• Poor standards of care;
• A shortage of female health workers.

At the end of the meeting, many draft resolutions were made. The WHO called for Governments in the region to prioritise health and make this an explicit within policy.

Dawn's full report can be read at www.soroptimistinternational.org. Just log into the members section. Her report also covers the other issues discussed at the meeting, including the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases, the use of eco-chemicals and climate change.

Many thanks to Dawn for attending this meeting!

SI UN Reps attend the 5th Session on Transnational Organised Crime

SI UN Representatives, Roswitha Benesch and Sina Stiffler, attended the 5th Session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Convention of Transnational Organised Crime in Vienna.

State representatives expressed deep concern that organised crime has become a business of macro economic proportions. Concerted efforts are required to dismantle powerful international criminal networks which have "ballooned to global proportions" said Yury Fedotov, the Executive Director of United Natons Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Nicolas Cage, UNODC's Goodwill Ambassador for Global Justice, spoke about the impact of organised crime, especially on children. He said: "We must never forget about the victims, the ordinary people, whose lives are damaged by criminals".

Of particular interest to Soroptimists is the issue of trafficking in persons which was a major area of discussion. Trafficking is persons for sexual exploitation is thought to be worth $3 billion annually and involves 140,000 victims, mostly women and children. The importance of setting up a UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Victims of Trafficking in Persons, especially women and children, was stressed. Adequate financial and social support must be made available. It is hoped that this will be launched in the coming months - keep checking the blog for updates.

Soroptimist International joined with other NGOs to write and deliver a substantial statement on issues of trafficking and victim protection. The statement was read at the Plenary Session by a member of Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW). Visit the members section the of the SI website to read the statement.

Visit the News and Events page of the UNODC to read a brief report and see a photo. Our Reps are in the front row, third and fourth from the left...

Report from the 61st Session of the WHO Western Pacific Region

Siew Yong, President Elect of South West Pacific, attended the 61st Session of the WHO Western Pacific Region in October. 38 member states and many representatives from Civil Society Organisations attended the 5 day meeting where many topics of relevance to Soroptimist International were discussed.

The meeting covered a wide agenda including the Annual Report of the Regional Director, Regional Strategy for Health Care Systems and strengthening Primary Care, Women's Health, Healthy Settings and the regional strategy to stop TB 2011-2015. Technical progress reports were also made on:

• Achievement of the MDGs;
• Dengue Fever - Prevention and Control;
• Protecting Health from the Effects of Climate Change.

Of particular interest to SI was the session of women's health, during which Siew Yong was able to deliver a statement to the member states.

It was highlighted that the region has progressed well on many MDGs. However progress on the MDG 5, Maternal Health, has been slow. In particular, Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic and Papua New Guinea are struggling to improve maternal and neonatal health. The Regional Director said: "I find it shameful that women are still dying in child birth".

Siew Yong was able to include to the SISWP Biennium project in her statement: Birthing in the Pacific. This project will be based in Papua New Guinea and aims to further the skills of midwives and traditional birth attendants as a way of reducing infant and maternal mortality rates. The statement and the details about the SISWP project were very well received elicited a response from the Minister for Health and HIV/AIDs and the Secretary of Health!

International convention on domestic workers one step closer

Steps to launch an International Convention on domestic workers, led by the UN agency the International Labour Organisation, seems to gaining global support. Senior ILO official who oversees work conditions and employment said the convention would mark a major step in employment protection for domestic workers.

In the June talks, held in Geneva, more than 60 countries voted for a set of binding international standards to protect and empower domestic workers.

Sina Stiffler, SI UN Representative to Geneva, attended the meetings along with 2,500 other delegates. She reported back to SI the main reasons why a convention protecting the rights of domestic workers is so important:

"Many domestic workers around the world are either excluded from national labour laws or work under loosely regulated conditions. Where legal protection exists it is often poorly implemented. Domestic workers remain hidden and faceless, vulnerable to abuse."

Domestic work is a global phenomenon and mainly affects women. It is thought that 90% are women.

Senior ILO officials are confident that the convention, currently in draft form, will provide the necessary protection for domestic workers, particularly the right to freedom of association, fair terms of employment, decent working and living conditions and the protection of migrant domestic workers.

SI UN Rep New York, Linda Stillman, attends annual International Rotary UN Day

Report from SI UN Rep Linda Stillman:

As a UN SI representative, I was invited to attend the annual International Rotary UN Day on Saturday, November 6, 2010.  Several of the issues discussed in-depth are connected to the work we do and worth sharing. Regarding education and leadership, the Rotarians support their younger generation of women and men in their subsidiary program called the Rotaracts. The focus is education and leadership to advance global/local community projects. I have been a speaker for the UN Rotaracts on Young Global Leadership this fall, and many young woman are members in leadership roles.

Another topic at the RI UN Day targeted educating girls and their theme: To educate a girl is to educate three generations: The girl, her mother and her future daughters. They are using this approach to tackle two key topics of ours: poverty and its feminization and sex trafficking, particularly in Southeast Asia.

Hopes and Dreams for Everyone: Soroptimist Tora Brown talks about her trip to Moldova

Click HERE for the full article.

News clip from the-signal.com

Moldova Adventure Opens Eyes

Trafficking preyAs Region 1 chairwoman for Soroptomist International, Brown recently returned from a trip to Moldova, a hotspot for human trafficking, which was determined as the organization’s 2010 human rights focus.

“Human trafficking is not always for the sex trade. Many of these women are looking for opportunity, and think they’re going to be a nanny or a housekeeper. Then they get there and are kept against their will, have their passports taken and earn no wages,” she said. “We definitely need to work to provide women with opportunities so they don’t get stuck.”

In addition to Brown, 14 other Soroptimists, including members from Norway and other parts of Europe, made the early October trip to Moldova. The tiny country, located between Ukraine and Romania, has incredibly high unemployment.

“One of the things I found really interesting is that 62 percent of the country has had at least three family members leave due to poverty,” Brown said. “There’s no commerce, no structure, no real industry.”

Moldova’s childrenWhat Moldova does have are numerous children that live in boarding houses, left behind by parents in search of work.

“Unlike the foster-care system here where kids leave at age 18, it’s 16 in Moldova. Often the kids don’t have documentation and can’t get social services, which will allow them to continue school,” she said.

The youngsters then become prime prey for trafficking operators.

“The traffickers will hang out and tell them, ‘I have an opportunity for you. Come with me, I’ll take you to Russia,’” Brown said. “These aren’t even for glamorous jobs, but for things like housekeeping and construction.”

Creating opportunitiesAccording to Soroptimist International, there are 68 boarding schools in Moldova. The organization has chosen four schools in the northern part of the country to act as a model for easily transferable programs to other schools and regions.

Programs include life and skill education such as career guidance, health care, sexual education, communication with public offices, and information about domestic violence.

The latter is key, Brown said.

“I found out on our trip that 90 percent of woman who are trafficked have been victims of domestic violence,” she said.

Soroptimist International also provides higher education to selected children in the four schools. Students receive housing allowances and living support, as well as access to social assistants, during their continuing education.

Support for victimsFrom 2005 to 2009, more than 300 girls age 13 to 16 attended the life-skill education training course, 30 girls received support through high school and college, and nine social assistants were trained to support the girls.

There’s also support for victims of trafficking who have managed to get back to Moldova and attempt to resume their lives, though it’s not a simple process, according to Brown.

“It’s really hard after you’ve been trafficked to get reintegrated. They still don’t have opportunities,” she said. “Even when you know trafficking exists, if you had nothing, would you take the chance of getting a better life so you could eat?”

URGENT APPEAL: RED SLUDGE VICTIMS PROJECT IN HUNGARY

From SI Budapest, October 27, 2010

In Hungary early October 2010 occurred a catastrophe, when an industrial reservoir collapsed and suddenly a major spill of toxic red sludge covered a number of villages.

9 people died and thousands of people lost their homes, hundreds of children, women and men were taken to hospital.

This is a major disaster for our nature and for old and young people who can never return back to their homes, as the environmental damage is long lasting. The victims are temporarily sheltered in sport halls, at their friends’ houses and in government houses. They are deeply shocked by the loss of all their properties and by having lost the feeling of personal safety and security.

The Soroptimist Club Budapest decided to raise funds and ask our network of Soroptimist Friends for contribution. Our aim is to support to build an institute in a new village that the victims will need most to start a new life: a kindergarten, a medical center, a social home or a women’s house.

Please click HERE for more information on how YOU CAN HELP!

Can the MDGs do without human rights?

High commissioner for Human Rights

"Can the MDGs do without human rights?"

22 October 2010

Today's panelists were

Ms. Catarina De Albuquerque, independent expert on the human rights obligations related to access to safe drinking water and sanitation.

Ms. Gay McDougall, Independent expert on minority issues.

Mr. Paul Ladd is head of Globalization UNDP.

and

Ms. Pollyanna Truscott, Deputy Representative at the UN Amnesty International.

SI's UN Rep in NYC, Yoko Komori Olson, commented that the MDGs can not be achieved without human rights, particularly equality.  The MDGs  have different 7 issues but all goals relate to issues which particularly affect women and girls.  Women need education, gender equality, improved maternal health, reduction of the impact of climate change, access to clean water, and prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS, Malaria, and TB. 

All MDGs are women's rights.

Women Rights equal Human Rights.

Click HERE to watch a video and see SI's UN Rep in action, speaking to the panel.